The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-17
THE TEMPER or SINGERS.
A Manager Says Musicians Are Hard TO
Get Along With-Cascs In Point.


al never knew n bass singer who wasn't
good natured, obliging and willing to be
corrected and reproved. Next 10 the bass
singer comes the alto. She Is little
more independent than the bass, little
more touchy and indifferent, but stu
little fault can be found with her. But
the tenor and soprano are often terrors,
the soprano seeming to be the worse OF
the two I guess it Is natural, though,
for a female scold 10 be a little sharper
than male
Professional tenors are almost invari-
ahly cnnceitcd. willful and stubborn.
They want 10 have their own way, and
sulk or ny into "a passion If they can't
have IT, This difference in the depOrt-
ment OF singers Is due, suppose, TO the
nature Of their parts. The base and alto
are naturally subordinate 10 the tenor
and soprano. IL is Che tenor and soprano
who get the encores. They are petteG
and conried and in some cases almost
deiilel. Naturally get conceited in respect
10 their ability. Any correction or warn
ING on the part Of the director is almost
regarded in the light Of an impertinence.
Il is n good thing TO show ones apprecia-
ton Of what is we'll done, but the fiattery
Of repeated encores plays the mischief
with tenors and sopranos, AMI becomes n
source Of bane 10 directors.
a. case In point To illustrate the viii
fulncss Of singers is that Of Parepa Rosa
in old Farwell hall, Just before the great
fire ] was the director, and the piece pro
duced was The Creation. As YOU know,
the last chorus Is quite moderate time,
mterchanged with Cmbellishing passages.
One particular part Parepa insisted on
singing In q ford style about twice a.
fast a. il was meant TO be sung In vain
| pleaded and argued with her, assuring
her that her way was not customary and
that the chorus could not possibly follow
her No, she was master Of that pArticu-
lar part, aud she would sing II As she
chose or not al all Finding her Obduratt
/ told her that | should not ask the chorus
o. take faster time, and that II She per
sisted in carrying out her within / should
break the time 70 suit her and change
back after her pant was finished Sine
didn care what did The solo part
were all she WAS specially interested ia.
and / could manage the rest 10 suit NY
self 80 break the time we did, making
an awkward hitch and all but spelling tie
piece On the same evening, little far
thcr on, she essayed to strike high {
where it wasn't written mt all, and came
10 a dead standstill-utterly broke down
/ ALWAYS thought il was Just retributiOn
for her Willfulncss
Another case when the prima donna
came out second best occurred when was
conducting IlOfmans Lay Of the Mclu.
sine i'm Louisville ia 1871 Nine Pappen
helm WAS the prima donna The cOmpO
sition was entirely new, both to her and
to The chorus At the last rehearsal was
very anxious 10 have the whole thing car
RED through with full voice, just as al the
final production A large paid audience
was assembled But Nine Pappenheim
refused TO carry her pant as | wanted her
10, urging as all excuse the WEAKNESS pro
duced by such rehearsals / knew that
she had been singing Wagneran opera
seven times a week and glOryng in il. and
/ told her So But no; she screened her
real motive which was mere capriciOus
ness, and insisted on h.ying her way. An
thc others SANG with f. Il voice till il came
o. hci bat she would ut move pur
po-cly uttered few words of remOn
STRANGE 50 that the audience could hear
me ana passed on lhe next solo part
was by Mr. Remmcrlz. who came oui
strong and full and did his best The au-
deucc was very administrative ana warm
Us cucored him This was too much for
the prma donna Jealousy oyercame
her cJntrariness, and, coming mcekly for
ward she asked if ! would not repea her
palt 80 that she could sing it rs MIR Rem
mlltz had his OF course | complied with
her request and she sang everything else
as she was expected had tamel TIE
pIhna donna '- Chicago Times